I am deeply disappointed by today’s announcement. It’s a major blow to our state’s manufacturing industry, Connecticut’s economy, and most importantly, to the hard working men and women of Pratt & Whitney. I still believed that a compromise that would have saved these jobs in Connecticut could have been achieved between Pratt & Whitney, the Machinists Union and the state of Connecticut. For Immediate Release
September 21, 2009
Contact: Paul Mounds 860-539-4924

Congressman Larson’s Statement on Pratt & Whitney Plant Closure Decision

Hartford, CT- U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement on Pratt &Whitney’s decision to close the Cheshire Engine Center and the East Hartford-based Connecticut Airfoil Repair Operations:

“I am deeply disappointed by today’s announcement. It’s a major blow to our state’s manufacturing industry, Connecticut’s economy, and most importantly, to the hard working men and women of Pratt & Whitney. I still believed that a compromise that would have saved these jobs in Connecticut could have been achieved between Pratt & Whitney, the Machinists Union and the state of Connecticut.  

“During my tenure in Congress, I have worked with the Connecticut delegation to preserve manufacturing jobs in Connecticut by securing critical federal funding to continue the production of Pratt & Whitney’s engines, and by protecting important military programs like the F-35 and C-17. This delegation in Washington, time and time again, has worked and voted in favor of the best interests of the machinists and employees of Pratt & Whitney.  It is disappointing that at the end of the day, the interests of shareholders, and not the years of hard work and sacrifice by these employees, motivated the company’s final decision.

“I will continue to fight for the Connecticut worker and to protect Connecticut jobs. Through the bold action of our President and this Congress, our nation has begun to climb out of the cavernous economic hole that we faced a little more than a year ago. I will continue to make the economy my number one priority.”